


Ultimate Chessmaster

by Kasuna_Kotonoha



Category: New Dangan Ronpa V3: Everyone's New Semester of Killing
Genre: Chess Metaphors, Implied Relationships, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Killing Game Was A Virtual Reality Simulation (Dangan Ronpa), New Dangan Ronpa V3 Spoilers, Other, Post-New Dangan Ronpa V3, Scarf Symbolize, Spoilers for v3 chapter 5, Virtual Reality
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-08
Updated: 2021-01-08
Packaged: 2021-03-18 16:35:16
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28621152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kasuna_Kotonoha/pseuds/Kasuna_Kotonoha
Summary: When you lose your king, it’s game over. Kokichi knew that.ORSo I saw this one post that theorized Kokichi could be the Ultimate Chessmaster, and I really liked that idea.It's not really his talent in this, but enjoy plenty of chess references.
Relationships: Harukawa Maki & Oma Kokichi, Momota Kaito & Oma Kokichi, Oma Kokichi & Saihara Shuichi
Kudos: 54





	Ultimate Chessmaster

It was fitting, really, that his scarf was patterned like a game board. Kokichi wasn’t sure if that was an intentional choice on Monokuma’s part, but knowing that sadistic bear, it was.

Kokichi had always been fond of chess. It was one of the few games that he wouldn’t consider completely boring, especially if he was against a difficult opponent, and oh boy, what an opponent this was. He prided himself on his ability to think in the long term, something that had proven quite useful, but they’d somehow managed to catch him off guard regardless.

Not that it really mattered. Thinking in the long term was useless if you couldn’t adapt, and that’s exactly what he needed to do.

The more he thought about it, which was difficult, given the two arrows sticking out of his arm and back, as well as the poison that was now circulating through his and Kaito’s veins, he realized this might actually work to his advantage.

As he expected, Maki had run off to retrieve the antidote, no doubt intending to give it to Kaito.

Well, that’s exactly what he did for her, but the assassin didn’t know that, and he intended for it to remain that way. 

Kaito was staring at him now, eyes wide with shock.

“Wha-dude! Why’d you do that?!”

Kokichi laughed weakly. “Isn’t it obvious? I need a favor from you.”

“A favor? Even if you gave me that antidote, why would I do anything for the mastermind?” Kaito said indignantly.

“Oh, that? Yeah, that...was a lie.”

He’d started laying out his pieces and planning his moves all the way back during trial 2. Kaito didn’t know that, but it was the whole reason this plan had played out the way it did.

“A lie? You seriously think I’d believe that?”

“Yes, as a matter of fact, I do. Think about it. We’ve been here, just the two of us, this entire time, right? So why did the killing game start up again? Why did Maki try to kill me?”

“Why? Because you’re the mastermind, of course!”

Kokichi shook his head. “No. Revealing myself like that was supposed to end the game, and I know it did. The true mastermind did this, I’m certain of it.”

“The true mastermind?” Kaito echoes, still looking doubtful, but at least willing to entertain the idea. “Who would that be?”   


“Don’t ask me! I...don’t have any idea either.”

An unknown player, moves he was blind to. It was exciting, sure, but not to him. It was scary, and above all, boring. 

But he’d still played. Played along with Monokuma’s stupid rules, played Gonta and Miu as pawns, even played the part of mastermind, and now he was playing Kaito.

If he had to assign Kaito to a chess piece, it would be...a knight. Not just because of his dumb hero complex, which he was in total denial about, but because of their uses.

Knights had a unique play move, one that could get it into spots no one else could, which is exactly what Kaito was. 

And above all, no one else was there to help him pull this off. A king needed the support of the other pieces.

Well, not that Kokichi would be king for much longer.

“So, what’s this favor you need me for anyway,” Kaito asked, frowning.

He gave one of his signature creepy laugh smile combos. “Oh, it’s simple, really. When I’m in check, my plan will help me win!”

“Check? What are you talking about?”

“It’s really not that difficult.” He looks Kaito in the eyes, putting a finger to his lips.. “Kaito, I need you...to kill me.”

Chess games were often compared to war, battle strategy, but Kokichi didn’t see it quite like that. It was an appropriate metaphor, sure, but he thought of it more as a complicated dance, trying to step on your opponent's toes while simultaneously avoiding the same happening to you.

He’d always preferred playing black, if nothing else than because it felt appropriate. It was poetic, in a sense, the last time he’d played chess with Saihara a few days ago.

(Jeez, had it only been a few days? It felt like ages.)

There was something poetic about the colors of their clothes and the chess pieces being opposite. Black on white and white on black.

Kaito looked at him in shock. “Wha-kill you!? I can’t do that!”

“Sure. Buuuut...if you do that, Maki will become the blackened, and her crime would be exposed so easily. Do you really want that? Isn’t that why you took that arrow for me?”

Kaito grits his teeth, clenching his hand into a fist. “Yeah, but...we’re talking about me killing you. Are you really okay with that?”

That makes Kokichi’s thoughts come to a halt. Is he okay with that? The answer is obvious, but there’s nothing on the board but bad plays right now, and this is the most favorable option.

He starts to laugh. “Of course! I told you I wanted to win this game at any cost, right? That includes sacrificing myself.”

His laugh becomes more unhinged and hysterical, but his lungs get the better of him, and he starts having a coughing fit.

“Ack, crap...I don’t have much time. Can we get this started already?”

Kaito stares at him a moment longer, and he finally makes the play Kokich expected he would.

“...fine.”

Chess is all about playing the long game, influencing your opponents, adapting to unexpected occurrences.

However, Kokichi’s own piece won’t be making any more moves.

***

Kaito leaned back in the exisal cockpit with a sigh, drumming his fingers on the cover of the book Kokichi had given here. It was lonely, really, being in here by himself, with only his thoughts to occupy him.

It was quiet, too quiet.

Hell, he’d almost prefer to be crammed in here with someone, even Kokichi, just so he’d have someone to talk to, to break this oppressive silence.

He could still see the moment of Kokichi’s death in his mind clearly. It didn’t feel real, that he’d actually gone through with that, but he had, and now he was carrying the wishes of a dead man. 

He reached into his pocket, pulling out the supreme leader's checkered scarf, remembering what it’s former owner had said.

_ “Hey, Kaito, would you mind giving this to Shumai when you see him?” _

That was Kokichi’s final request, besides bringing an end to this killing game, of course.

In a way, Kaito couldn’t help but feel that he and Shuichi were meant to fulfill his wish in tandem.

Well, there wasn’t anything he could change about the past. All he could do was follow through with this plan, and pray he could trick Monokuma

***

_ When you lose your king, it’s game over. Kokichi knew that.  _

_ If he was the king, that would mean game over for everyone, but that wasn’t exactly the case. Someone else would need to take over for him, take the reigns. _

_ But not Shuichi. Not quite yet, anyway.  _

_ If Kokichi was the king, Shuichi was the queen.  _

_ Sure, the king was the most important, but the queen was by far the most powerful. Shuichi was someone the group couldn’t afford to lose. _

_ If not him, then who… _

_ Kokichi, as per the plan, removed his jacket, as well as the checkered scarf he was so fond of. _

_ Hmm… _

_ “Hey, Kaito, would you mind giving this to Shumai when you see him?” _

_ He pressed the scarf into Kaito’s hands, hoping he was making the right decision. _

***

“Given all the evidence, it has to be you. Kaito’s the one in that exisal.”

Shuichi stared at the mech that was standing behind Kokichi’s podium. It had to be, it was the only way all the evidence fit.

But...why would Kaito agree to this? That was the one thing that was bothering him, because Kaito wasn’t the kind of person who would kill someone, not even someone as troublesome as Kokichi.

Maybe it was because of the antidote? That was the only explanation he had at the moment, but that didn’t feel like it would be enough.

The next ten minutes of the trial give him valuable insight, and he works to retract his statement, only to have Kaito step out of the exisal.

It’s...sad, to say the least. If Kaito hadn’t come out of the exisal when he did, if his own deduction skills hadn’t been so good, maybe-

“Oh yeah, before I forget.”

Kaito interrupts his train of thought.

“I was told to give this to you.”

The astronaut reaches into his pocket, pulling out a very familiar scarf.

“Huh? Kokichi’s scarf? But why?”

Kaito shrugs. “Hell if I know. Here.”

Shuichi takes the scarf hesitantly, shoving it in his pocket, leaving just a corner hanging out, like a little white finishing flag.

The first thing he does upon returning to his dorm is collapse on his bed. He was tired, both physically and emotionally. He just wants this nightmare to end, one way or another.

He turns to lay on his back, and pulls the scarf out of his pocket to look at it. Shuichi can’t remember ever seeing Kokichi without it. 

His arm flops down next to him, bringing the scarf with it. Why had Kokichi given it to him? What was the point? Even now, he wasn’t sure what to think of the late Ultimate Supreme Leader.

Unfortunately, as with many things in an environment like this, he’ll probably never know.

***

“Check”

Shuichi bit the inside of his cheek, examining the chessboard in front of him. He was, in fact, in check, and there were only a couple moves he could make.

Kokichi regarded him, eyes shining with the amusement of someone who knows they’ve already won.

Shuichi makes his move, and Kokichi does as well.

“Checkmate.”

Shuichi sighs, reaching out to shake the smaller boy's hand as said boy gives him a grin bordering on a smirk. “Good game.”

“It's a pleasure as always to play with you, Shumai.”

Shuichi packs up the chess set, returning it to the rec room’s game cupboard in the corner. The Future Foundation had accumulated quite a variety of games, but chess was a popular option with both boys.

“Shuichi, Kokichi.”

Kaito pokes his head around the door, spotting the two of them.

“Kirumi made lunch, care to join us?”

Kokichi looks hesitant, but when Shuichi offers his hand and Kokichi takes it, he follows the other two with little resistance.

It’s been almost two months since they awoke from the killing game simulation. Honestly, Shuichi had been more relieved than surprised to find out it was all virtual reality. It had taken about a week for everyone to wake up, and the first two weeks with everyone had been incredibly awkward.

It was mostly thanks to Kaede and Kaito forcing everyone to talk things out that everyone got along as well as they did. The only group that didn’t apply to was Kiyo, Tenko, Angie, and Himiko. Though, Kiyo and Angie had, at least, reached an agreement of sorts. She didn’t hate him as openly as Tenko, or even Himiko, but she disliked being left alone in the same room as him.

Shuichi glanced at Kokichi, whose hand he was still holding, noting the white embroidered crown on the black corner square.

Kokichi had the most trouble reintegrating himself with the group. It wasn’t terribly surprising, but it made Shuichi feel bad for him. Not that he’d say that out loud. Kokichi hated pity.

Lunch is always a fairly subdued affair, since it's very rare for everyone to be there at the same time.

Shuichi, Kaede, Maki, Kaito, and Kokichi all sit together. It’s still pretty awkward between Maki, Kokichi, and Kaito, but when Maki asks if Kokichi wants to die, with a distinct lack of malice, and Kokichi doesn’t flinch for once, Shuichi thinks they’ll get there.

Kokichi may never fully trust her, and Shuichi can’t really blame him, but they’re both trying, and that’s all he can really ask for.

Maybe, one day, the Supreme Leader will even challenge her to a game of chess.


End file.
